Three athletes fail drug tests

Kevin Ching, from the Taiwan Olympic Commitee, said his accreditation had been immediately withdrawn.

Prandzheva, 28, who won silver and bronze in the triple jump at the 1995 and 1993 World Championships respectively, tested positive for the banned steroid, nandrolone, and was immediately suspended by her National federation, according to Giorgio Reineri, spokesman for the IAAF.

The drug turned up after a test at the London Grand Prix on August 5 and a B test is scheduled for September 20.

8220;If the B test confirms the first we will put her case to the IAAF8217;s arbitration committee,8221; said Dobromir Karamarinov, general secretary of the Bulgarian Athletics Federation, adding that he believed that would only happen after the Sydney Games.

The athlete was not included in the Bulgarian party that arrived in the Olympic city earlier this month. She had previously tested positive for steroids at the Atlanta Olympics, where she was fourth in the triple jump and seventh in the long jump.

Yermakova returned a positive test for furosemide following a meeting in Monaco in May, the sport8217;s international governing body, FINA said in a letter to the International Olympic Committee released on Wednesday.

8220;The IOC will withdraw the accreditation of the suspended athlete,8221; a statement said.